Laptop for a Political Science Major

jennycho · 08-12-2009, 05:56 PM

My knowledge of laptops and computers in general is very minimal so it'd be great if you could help me out!

NO MACS and looking at a price range of $300-$800. I was looking at HP laptops from Best Buy online, but reading a lot of these threads has sort of made me hesitant to buy an HP laptop.

Since I'm a political science major using extensive programs isn't a big issue. Basically, I'll be using my laptop to write a lot of papers, listen to music, and surf the web. My patience runs dry pretty quickly so a computer that isn't slow is a big plus. It'd also be nice to have at least 5 hours of battery life.

What would you guys recommend?

cs12345 · 08-12-2009, 06:59 PM

i suggest a mac.

aforautumn · 08-12-2009, 07:04 PM

5 hours is a pretty high expectation for that price range. 3-4 hours of basic usage is the max for most mid-range notebooks with their standard battery.

Gadget dealz of the day - Gizmodo
bookmark that and check it every day or two. whatever you get, make sure it has a core2duo processor, 4gb of ram, and preferably 320 gb harddrive and a 13" or 14" screen.
you can find a machine that has these specifications for about $500-600 easily within the next week.

dell and HP get a lot of flack, but that should be taken into context of how big they are in the industry. they aren't the best, but they aren't the worst. acer is hands down the worst, but they are also the cheapest.

DO NOT let the people on these forums control your purchasing decision by brand. dell, HP, and acer are the largest 3 manufacturers. all things equal, they really aren't that much worse than most other manufacturers. thinkpads and macs are nice, but they dont necessarily work any better than 95% of all the other computers made by those top 3. there is a lot of bickering on the internet over small things that dont really matter in the grand scheme of things--especially for consumers who just want a computer that will run ms office, internet explorer, AIM, and itunes. the fact that you can do most of that on an iphone says a lot i think.

pandem · 08-12-2009, 08:27 PM

look into a netbook with an external usb keyboard (and possibly external monitor.)

aforautumn · 08-12-2009, 08:34 PM

i second that, actually. if you dont go for a cheap low-end laptop, netbooks would be a perfect alternative. they were designed to do exactly what you're expecting to do and cost around $300

jennycho · 08-13-2009, 11:22 AM

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll definitely be sure to browse that site.

-edit

What exactly does a laptop offer that a netbook doesn't?

fabrizio · 08-13-2009, 01:05 PM

Quote:

What exactly does a laptop offer that a netbook doesn't?

A bigger screen, more power, and usually a bigger keyboard.

srunni · 08-13-2009, 02:10 PM

Get a ThinkPad, they're the best. Take a look at laptops in the R or T series, they both fit within your price range.

nysmile · 08-13-2009, 06:48 PM

Dell - Studio Laptop with Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor - Black - S1555-018B

This should work for your needs.

chsowlflax17 · 08-19-2009, 06:04 AM

I'm personally a big fan of the Dell Studio 14z (as I bought one after a month of searching for the perfect computer). It's 4.4 lbs. with an 8-cell battery that gets it 4.5 hours or so (with internet on. And my personal experience, not Dell's stats). And being a Dell, it's extremely upgradeable from dell.com, and you can get the 7% EPP discount for being a college student, if you go through Dell University. It's portable like a netbook, but offers a large, 900p screen (1600 x 900) with an nVidia graphics card that's capable of handling things like photoshop and hi-def movies/streaming with ease. The only thing it lacks is an optical drive, but I hardly use that, and when you need it an external DVD drive works fine. And I've run it all day today, without it getting hot. Which is one of the reasons laptops break. Oh, and read some of the reviews about its speakers: for an ultra-portable laptop, it's got some of the best sound around.

don9992 · 08-19-2009, 06:31 AM

I'd been away from service and desktop support so, when I started shopping for a computer for my D, I asked a lot of people doing corporate support as well as people in stores about what brands seem to be doing the best nowadays. The answers were surprisingly consistent. In order they suggested:

- Sony
- Toshiba & HP (tied)
- Dell & Gateway (another tie)
- Acer

The consensus was that you're not going to go too wrong with an HP. They seem to have stepped up their quality lately.

We ended up going with a Sony. They're normally pretty pricey compared to the competition, but their direct sales site (Sony Style USA | Sony VAIO® Computers | Sony Consumer Electronics) has some pretty good sales on right now. I was very satisfied with the deal we got.

don9992 · 08-19-2009, 06:33 AM

cs12345: What part of "NO MACS" did you have trouble comprehending?

cs12345 · 08-21-2009, 12:34 PM

no i was joking. chill out

don9992 · 08-21-2009, 12:39 PM

Sorry....thought you were one of THEM.

LordMango · 08-22-2009, 01:06 AM

I suggest you take a look at the acer timeline series. they're basically notebooks designed with style & battery life in mind, seeing as none are more than an inch thick, and all of them have over 8 hours of battery life. I believe they come in 13 inch, 14 inch, & 15 inch sizes, although the 13 inch one lacks an optical drive. I've seen them go for about $550.

However, I dont think they can handle anything beyond casual gaming.

If you have one near you, try a Fry's electronics store, usually the inventory/pricing trumps that of best buy